Reflections and poems about life on the bayou

Spiritual Journey: Reach

Find the round up of Spiritual Journey posts at Donna’s site, Mainly Write

Today our spiritual Thursday bloggers are writing about Donna’s one little word, Reach. This was my word in 2015. I chose it that year as I was finishing a manuscript that I wanted to publish. That book is still not a book, but I don’t think it has anything to do with the word Reach.

When I searched my blog for Reach, I found this quote above. Sometimes wisdom comes to me. Today I needed to see this again. I needed to remember that all we can do at any one time is to be present to it.

I switched my classroom Wonder calendar to May and found this quote waiting for me.

Personal Courage Month

Many of us have big things we’d like to do, but we’re too nervous or shy to try them. Try doing one thing this month that will get you closer to the big thing you’d like to do–tell someone about it, ask for help, read a book about it.

I have an idea that I will be sharing with an upper administrator today. Fingers crossed he gets it, understands my goals, and pushes me forward to meet them.

I have an idea for a poetry book. I’m reading, researching, experiencing, and playing with words. It’s about process, practice, practice, and process.

I will revise my works in progress again and again until they are ready for the wider world. Confidence, patience, persistence.

Reaching is hard work.

Reaching is stretching till it hurts. Hold. Then stretch more.

Reaching is shooting for the moon and landing among the stars. I’m OK with the stars. I have friends there.

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I’d forgotten that you had reach as your OLW a while back. I love when pieces seem to fit together. Seems like the pieces you are reaching for are coming together nicely! Your image with quote are just beautiful!

Good for you, Margaret! So much good advice here and encouragement too, for the projects that I’m currently reaching toward. The picture of reaching and holding that position is so powerful, because often reaching takes a lot of faith and persistence. And I just love your last line: “Reaching is shooting for the moon and landing among the stars. I’m OK with the stars. I have friends there.”

There is so much new science about stretching and the body. One new idea is that it’s the mind, the neural impulses that keep a muscle from stretching. The muscle begins to stretch, the brain says, nope, not safe here, that’s as far as you go. So the answer is to find that end range and work on strength there. Then the brain begins to know that you are safe there and allows the muscle to move farther. I’m no scientist and I’m just learning about all this new stuff, but I think that’s such a great picture. Extending your reach, getting strong there, and then going farther. I hope all your projects come together.

Your words and your calendar quote encourage me. ” Try doing one thing this month that will get you closer to the big thing you’d like to do…” I love anything that encourages one thing. That’s reachable and with a little stretching I can go farther next month.

Margaret, I thank you for your insight into the word reach. I moved beyond my reach to plan for my daughter’s baby shower so that everyone could have a memorable day. Life was beautiful on Saturday. Now I am going to reach out to our group to lift up my daughter who just sent me news. The baby is underweight and although the doctors think that Devin carries small they are monitoring the baby via sonograms. I am asking for prayers that our little one does not have to be induced and placed in the NICU. I trust in the power of prayer and that I can reach for it.
Best of luck with your projects that hopefully will be reached soon.

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I live on the Bayou Teche in New Iberia, Louisiana. I love teaching, poetry, my dog Charlie, my three daughters, and dancing with my husband. This space is where I capture my thoughts, share my insights, and make connections with the world. Welcome! Walk in kindness.

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